Detachable electric connector



Patented July 2, 1940 DETACHABLE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Guy 0. Robinson and George K. Robinson,

' Oakland, Calif.

Application May 16, 1938, Serial No. 208,216

3 Claims.

The invention relates to detachable electric conductors of the type commonly used for mak- '1; for use in electric extension circuits, where the connector is generally composed of a plurality of sections which may be attached when in use and detached when no electric current is being drawn.

An object of the present invention is to provide a detachable electric connector of the character described having a plurality of detachable sections which may be quickly and readily attached in an improved manner facilitating the attachment of the sections when the male and female parts of the section are not conveniently visible for attachment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a detachable electric connector of the character above having an improved form of construction rendering the same more rugged and sturdy and better able to withstand rough and long continued use than similar connectors heretofore available.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electric connector of the character above which will ensure an improved electric connection between the contact members of the connector and provide the firm,-tight engagement of the respective contact members throughout a long period of use.

The invention possesses. other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following descrip- "tion of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part'of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view a detachable electric connector constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector illustrated in Figure 1 and is taken substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of one of the con- -".nector sections.

and illustrating the detachable parts in substantially detached position.

Figure 5 is a, longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modified form of a the connector.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connector illustrated in Figure 5 and is taken sub-' stantially on the plane of line 6-8 of Figure 5. 5"

The electric connector of the present invention and as illustrated in the accompanying drawmg, comprises a plurality of sections 8 and 9, each provided with electric contact members I I and l2, l3 and I 4 respectively, which are adapted for electrical engagement upon attachment of the sections 8 and 9. As here shown, thesection 8 is particularly designed as a stationary socket which may be afiixed to a wall or base board orelectric panel or the like, while the section 9 is in the form of a plug and is arranged for use at the end of a flexible electric conductor. I-lowever, as will be understood, both of the sect1ons may be connected to the ends of flexible electric conductors for use in an extension circuit or both of the sections may be secured to relatively fixed mountings but arranged for movementto and from each other.

As an important feature of thepresent invention, the section 9 is provided with a guide 16 which is longitudinally extended from an end or side I! of the section and is adapted for engagement in an opening or guideway l8 in an opposed end 19 of thesection 8. Preferably the. guide 18 is substantially centrally positioned between the contact members l3 and I4, which also extend longitudinally from the end I! in substantially parallel relation to the guide l6, and the member 8 is provided with openings 2! and 22 in registration with the contact members H and I2 for insertion through the openings of the contact members 13 and M for engagement of the latter with the contact members II and I2. Preferably,,the distal end 28 of the guide 16 is extended longitudinally somewhat beyond the 40 distal ends 23 and 24 of the contact members l3 and [4, so that the guide end 20 may be inserted in the guide opening I8 prior to the engagement of ,the contact member ends 23 and 24 with the end surface IQ of the section 8, so 5 as-to align the sections 8 and 9 for attachment. Upon insertion of the guide end 28 in the guide opening IS, the section 9 may be rotated until the contact member ends 23 and 24 fall into the openings 2| and 22 of the section 8, when the section 9' may be displaced longitudinally to effect an insertion of the contact members I3 and [4 through the openings 2t and 22 for engagement with the contact members H and I2. of the section 8. In this manner j the attachan iii quently subjected to rather rough usage.

ment of the section is greatly facilitated for it is only necessary to locate the guide end 20 in the guide opening I 8 and then rotate the section 9 and displace the same longitudinally, and these operations may be quickly and simply effected without the coacting openings and parts being visible to the person effecting the attachment, the entire operation of attachment being easily effected by the sense of feeling rather than sight.

The section 8 in the present embodiment is formed of a body preferably molded from plastic insulation material or the like and arranged with an interior chamber 25 in which the contact members H and |2 may be mounted, and is provided with a central core portion 26 through which the guide opening l3 may be formed. The contact members II and I2 are here shown in the form of fiat, resilient metal strips which are fixed at their ends 21 and 28 to the body of the section by means of terminal screws 29 and 3| which may be used to electrically connect the ends of electric conductors to the contact members. The contact members H and I2 are folded longitudinally from the ends 21 and 28 towards the end IQ of the section to posi tion portions 32 and 33 of their length against the side wall of the chamber 24, and are folded adjacent the end l9 to provide free longitudinal portions 34 and 36 in substantial alignment with the openings 2| and 22 for engagement with the longitudinal contact members I3 and I4 upon attachment of the sections.

The section 9 is preferably also formed of a body molded from plastic insulation material so that the body and guide l8 may be formed as an integral unit. As one of the important features of the present invention in providing for an improved sturdiness and rigidity of construction of the section 9, the contact members l3 and M of that section are supported not only in the body of the section, but also on the longitudinal guide it, so that an extremely rigid longitudinal unit is formed by the contact members and the '1 guide. By reason of this arrangement, there is little or no possibility for the contact members l3 and hi to become poorly spaced or aligned with respect to the openings 2| and 22 in the section 8, even though the plug section is fr:-

s here illustrated, in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the contact members l3 and I4 are formed of flat metallic strips which are secured at their end portions 3'1 and 38 to a transverse wall 39 in the ::body of the plug 9, by means of fastening screws 4| and 42 and terminal screws 43 and 44. From the end portions 31 and 38 the contact members are bent longitudinally so as to lie at opposite sides of the guide H3 and are arranged with the greatest transverse dimension of the strips substantially radially of the guide so as to provide a maximum resistance to bending of the sections radially of the guide. The distal ends 23 and 24 are as here shown, supported directly on the guide M by providing such ends with lateral projections 46 and 41 and extending such projections directly into the body of the guide l6.

To accommodate the extension of the lateral or radial width of the contact members l3 and |4 through the end I9 of the section 8, the latter is preferably formed with a cross-slot 48 connecting the guide opening I 8 with the openings 2| and 22, so that the ends 23 and 24 of the plug contact members may be extended through the :slot 48 on attachment of the sections. To further assist in the ease of attachment of these sections, the ends 23 and 24 of the plug contact members are preferably beveled towards the guide l6 so as to provide the greatest longitudinal extension of the contact members at the plug, whereby the ends of the contact members may be more readily aligned with the cross-slot for attachment of the plug. It will also be understood that the coaction of the cross-slot 48 and the transverse ends 23 and 24 of the plug contact members affords a stop for the rotative movement of the plug in a position properly aligning the contact members l3 and I4 with the openings 2| and 22. To further facilitate the attachment of the sections, the distal end 20 of the guide may be rounded as here shown, and also preferably, the guide opening I8 is enlarged somewhat at the end IQ of the section 8 to assist the quick locating of the guide end therein.

Preferably, the openings 2| and 22 in the section 8 are of substantially rectangular shape in cross-section and spaced by a distance which is standard in the manufacture of this type of electric connectors, so that the section 8 may be used as a socket for a more or less conventional type of plug when desired.

A slightly modified form of the invention has been illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, wherein the contact members I3 and M of the plug section 9' are arranged at opposite sides of the guide IS in spaced relation thereto and disposed with the greatest width of the sections in planes spaced from and substantially parallel to the axis of the guide It, rather than substantially radially thereto as in the first embodiment. In order to support the contact members l3 and I4 on the guide IS, the latter is provided with a pair of radially extending webs or lateral side strips 49 and 5|, which are engaged along their outer longitudinal sides by the contact members 53 and M. The form of the plug described may be used with a coacting section 8 as described in connection with the first embodiment, in view of the relative shape and spacing of the openings 2| and 22 above described, and the provision of the cross-slot 48. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, a somewhat greater area of electric contact is provided between the plug contact members l3 and I4 and the contact members and 2 of the section 8.

We claim:

1. A sectional electric connector comprising, a body having a guide opening in a side thereof and a plurality of openings spaced radially from said guide opening and a slot connecting said openings, a plurality of resilient contacts mounted within said body in registration with said second named openings and adapted to be forced outwardly of said guide opening, a second body having a side facing said first body, a guide extending from said second body side and adapted for longitudinal and rotational engagement with said guide opening, a plurality of electric contact members extending from and supported by said second body side in substantially parallel relation to said guide and substantially radially therefrom, means extending between said contact members and said guide to prevent inward deflection of said contact members on engagement with said resilient contacts, said guide and contact members being adapted for insertion through said slot and second named openings for engagement with said resilient contacts.

2. A sectional electric connector of the character described comprising, a body having a plurality of openings spaced therefrom and arcentral opening and a plurality of diametrically opposed openings connected to said central opening by a slot, said diametrically opposed openings arranged to receive the contact arms of a standard plug, resilient electric contacts mounted within said body at the inner ends of said diametrically opposed openings and positioned for engagement by said arms when inserted in said diametrically opposed openings, a second body having a guide extending from a side thereof and adapted for longitudinal and rotational engagement in said central opening, a plurality of contact members supported at one end by said second body and extending substantially the full length of said guide and held against inward deflection thereby, said members arranged to engage in said slot and diametrically opposed openings and extending radially from said guide to engage at their outer edges with said resilient contacts upon engagement of said second body member with said first body member.

3. A sectional electric connector comprising, a body member having a central opening and a ranged to receive the contact arms of a standard plug, said body having slots radiating from and connecting said central opening with said other openings, contact members in said body member located within said second openings, a second body member, a guide having a substantially cylindrical free end and extending from a side thereof and adapted for engagement in said central opening of said first body member, contact members on said second body member movable through said slots and engageable with the contact members in said second openings, said guide and body member being formed and arranged whereby rotation of the member will be permitted during the initial engagement of said guide in said central opening and prevented when the contact members are engaged, said guide being of such size and form as to preclude its entry into either said slots or said second openings.

GUY O. ROBINSON. GEORGE K. ROBINSON. 

